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Slovenia: Danger of Tax Increase

Because of the failed introduction of the property tax Finance Minister Uros Cufer suggested an inrease in VAT to compensate for the losses in revenue.

March 31, 2014

Slovakia: Kiska Won Against Fico

Prime Minister Robert Fico has received a heavy defeat. For the first time in Slovakia´s history, an independent candidate becomes President.

March 30, 2014

Slovenia: Controversial Property Tax Fails

The Slovenian Constitutional Court has rejected the controversial property tax suggested by the government. This will jeopardize this year’s budget.

March 28, 2014

Hypo Group: “The People are Really Pissed Off“

According to Werner Kogler, financial spokesman and deputy party leader of the Austrian Greens, the Hypo commission appointed by the government is an “intolerable escape attempt”.

March 28, 2014

Leitl: “Growth Must Not Mean Less Reforms”

Economic growth is now weaker than in the previous phases of upturn.

March 28, 2014

Hypo Petition Puts Pressure on Austrian Government

The support of the online petition for the establishing of an investigation committee has gained more than 105,000 supporters which puts increasing pressure on the government.

March 28, 2014

Austria: S&P Confirms Rating

US rating agency Standard & Poor’s has confirmed the Austrian rating at “AA+” with a stable outlook.

March 28, 2014

RBI to Keep Hungarian and Ukrainian Affiliates?

Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) considers keeping its affiliates in Hungary and Ukraine.

March 27, 2014

Poland to Fulfill EU Commission’s Regulations

According to Polish Finance Minister Mateusz Szczurek, Poland will have no difficulties fullfilling the standards set by the European Commission with regard to the budget deficit.

March 27, 2014

Austria: Hypo Commission Soon Ready to Investigate

The government’s commission for the investigation of Hypo Group’s nationalization is supposed to begin its assignment in one or two weeks.

March 27, 2014

RBI: Profit Shrinks by Almost A Quarter

RBI with consolidated profit of € 557 million Austria’s most profitable bank for the fourth time.

March 27, 2014

Serbia: Program for New Government in Progress

The future government will have to implement extensive reforms. Vucic, whose party saw a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections, is working on the government’s program.

March 26, 2014

Poland: Good Starting Point for Economic Growth

Economic growth for 2014 is expected to accelerate to 3.1 percent to 3.2 percent in the first quarter while for the full year it is anticipated to come at 3.5 percent, according to Polish Economy Minister Janusz Piechocinski.

March 26, 2014

BayernLB Threatens Hypo Group with Damage Claims

BayernLB, former parent company of Hypo Group Alpe Adria International, is threatening to claim damages from its former affiliate.

March 26, 2014

Austria: High Support for Hypo Group’s Investigation Petition

According to a decision in the petition committee, the online petition for the investigation of the nationlization of ailing Hypo Group Alpe Adria will be open for signing until the next committee meeting in June.

March 26, 2014

Poland: Economy Proves Immune to Ukrainian Crisis

According to Governor of the Polish National Bank (NBP) Marek Belka, the Polish economy has so far proved stable and almost remained unaffected by the political crisis in Ukraine.

March 26, 2014

Hungary: Orban Striving to Become PM Again

In an attempt to gain another four years as head of the government Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban praises the country’s achievements in the past years since his Fidesz party came into power.

March 26, 2014

World Bank: Serbia Has Nine Month to Implement Reforms

According to Tony Verheijen, the World Bank’s Country Manager of Serbia, Serbia has nine month to implement the reforms necessary.

March 25, 2014

Spindelegger: Investigation Committee “Counterproductive“

According to the Finance Minister, an investigation committee would only worsen the negotiation position with BayernLB.

March 25, 2014

Hypo Group: Spindelegger Still Rejects Investigation Committee

Today the opposition will call for a joint request for a parliamentary investigation committee with regard to ailing bank Hypo Group.

March 25, 2014

Austria: No Changes to Land Transfer Tax

There will be no tax hikes in the near future concerning the inheritance of property within families. The draft law of the Finance Ministry also includes the exemption of business successions.

March 24, 2014

Serbia: President Announced “Pro-Serbian Government”

Tomislav Nikolic, Serbian President, announded the future government to be pro-Serbian.

March 24, 2014

Austria: Hypo Petition to be Continued

The online petition for the establishing of a parliamentary investigation committee will not be stopped by the Austrian government, consisting of SPÖ (Social Democrats) and ÖVP (Austrian People’s Party).

March 24, 2014

Faymann Does Not Rule Out Economic Sanctions Against Russia

Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann wants to avoid further conflicts with Russia and to put effort into diplomacy instead. Economic sanctions are no taboo, though.

March 24, 2014

Poland: PKO BP Considers Expanding Worldwide

The biggest lender in Poland PKO BP is weighing up international expansion

March 24, 2014

Zeman Wants Ukraine to Cooperate with Brussels

According to Czech President Milos Zeman, Russia´s occupation of the Crimea is a “cold-bloodedly” step against the Ukraine. The crisis-ridden country should work together more closely with the EU.

March 22, 2014

Serbia to Continue Talks with IMF

Serbia's Minister of Finance Lazar Krstic announced that an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission will visit Serbia for talks on a new three-year arrangement shortly after a new government is formed.

March 21, 2014

Austria: Petition Around Hypo Group to be Stopped

The stop of the online petition for a parliamentary investigation committee seems to be unavoidable. The opposition claims the government is trying to “choke off” democracy.

March 21, 2014

Final Time-Out for Austrian Bank Secret

During the EU Summit the final time-out for the Austrian bank secret for foreigners was decided. Both Austria and Luxembourg agreed to give up their banking secrets.

March 21, 2014

Serbia: Talks about Forming Government to Start Soon

Discussions about forming a new government in Serbia will start at the end of this week or the beginning of next week, according to Zorana Mihajlovic, deputy leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).

March 21, 2014

Hypo Group: “Acutely Gaping Capital Hole“

In a compulsory notification published on Friday morning, Hypo Group Alpe Adria has reported about an “acutely gaping capital hole” which has to be covered by the Austrian Federation.

March 21, 2014

Austria: Still No Disclosure about Hypo’s Capital Gap

Detailed figures about how much the Austrian state will have to inject for the balance sheet total of 2013 will be published on Friday at the earliest.

March 21, 2014

Slovenia: Exuberant Public Spendings

Public finances in Slovenia have gone wild as only after two months almost half of the total deficit planned for 2014 was spent.

March 20, 2014

Fitch: Elections Command Fiscal Consolidation and Reforms

Vucic appears to acknowledge the need for reforms in Serbia.

March 20, 2014

Austria: Opposition Criticizes Nationalization

On Thursday Finance Minister Michael Spindelegger expects a binding statement by ailing bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria about how much state aid will be required. The opposition heavily criticizes the nationalization by the Austrian state in 2009.

March 20, 2014

Hypo Group Expected to Publish Figures This Week

On Thursday the Austrian taxpayers are supposed to officially get to know the financial requirements for nationalized problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria.

March 19, 2014

Serbia: Economic Activity Increases Speed

Since the beginning of 2014 economic activity has started to accelerate.

March 19, 2014

Slovenia: Confusion over Real Estate Tax

The deadline for real estate owners to prepare for the new real estate tax has been extended by a month.

March 19, 2014

Wifo Warns European Council of Economic-Policy Standstill

The Austrian Institute of Economic Research sharply criticizes the current economic policy of the European Union and calls for a change of course to reach the self-defined targets.

March 19, 2014

Austria: Freedom Party Admits Complicity

The Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) admits that it was also to blame for the disaster around Hypo Group Alpe Adria.

March 19, 2014

CA Immo: Considerable Drop in Net Income

Financial results 2013: CA Immo achieves record operating result. Balance sheet strengthened, Net Asset Value up 6%.

March 19, 2014

Poland: Key Rates to Remain Unchanged until 2015

In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek magazine, Marek Belka, Governor of the National Bank of Poland (NBP), announced that interest rates will remain unchanced until the end of this year.

March 18, 2014

Hungary: Jurisdiction Affects FX Loans and Banks

Hungary’s constitutional court will exert influence on FX loans.

March 18, 2014

BayernLB: “We Were Brazenly Betrayed by Austria"

CEO of BayernLB Gerd Häusler claims the German bank and former parent company of nationalized Hypo Group Alpe Adria accuses Austria of having taken the law into its own hands.

March 18, 2014

Hypo Group: Government Explains Downsizing Solution

On Tuesday the Austrian government will explain the decided downsizing solution for the ailing bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria. Carinthia only wants to pay € 300m in downsizing costs.

March 18, 2014

Serbian President: Vucic is New PM

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic named Aleksandar Vucic as new Prime Minister.

March 17, 2014

Austria: Carinthia Forced to Pay for Hypo Group

Finance Minister Michael Spindelegger announced wanting to include the federal province of Carinthia to participate in the downsizing costs for ailing bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria. Austerity measures are “inevitable”.

March 17, 2014

Belka: Poland Should Not Haste into Eurozone

Marek Belka, Governor of the National Bank of Poland (NBP), said that the country did not have to haste to become a member of the European single currency union.

March 17, 2014

Serbia: Landslide Victory for Vucic

After Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic’s party saw an overwhelming victory in the early parliamentary elections the new government is facing a hard road ahead.

March 17, 2014

Austria: Spindelegger Puts Pressure on BayernLB

In the dispute with BayernLB, former parent company of problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria, Finance Minister Michael Spindelegger calls for a tougher approach.

March 17, 2014